1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to space heating and cooling systems and, more particularly, to directing air out of an air duct register.
Air ducts and the registers that cover them are well known in the heating and cooling industry. The ducts include conduits that are used to convey heated, cooled, or otherwise conditioned air (for example when moisture has either been added or removed from the air) throughout various rooms and areas of a structure. The structure includes any type of home, apartment, mobile home, recreational vehicle, or other type of residence, or it includes any office, retail outlet, or other type of commercial building.
The register includes a grill that covers an exposed end of each duct. Because air that is passing through the duct(s) is under a slight positive pressure, the registers are sometimes referred to as “forced air” registers. The area where the register is located is sometimes referred to as a “register outlet”.
Registers are commonly disposed on wall surfaces or, alternately, on floor surfaces. The register includes a grill. The grill includes a plurality of openings through which air passes. The register (grill) may include a series of angled members that are used to direct the air in a general direction, usually either left or right or up or down, with respect to the register.
The register may also include a mechanical damper that can be partially closed to restrict an amount of air passing through the register or closed entirely to block virtually all of the air that is passing through the register. This is to control the amount of heating or cooling that is occurring and is useful in better regulating room temperature when either “hot spots” or “cold spots” occur.
While the above system of ducts and registers is useful in conveying treated air (heated or cooled) to a desired location, it does not take into account the effect that room furnishings have on the ability of the heating or cooling system to release the treated air into a desired space.
For example, a headboard of a bed disposed adjacent to a register in a wall can substantially impede the register from heating or cooling the room.
Similarly, a recliner type of a chair that is disposed over a floor mounted register can significantly obstruct the air flow occurring through the register and adversely affect the heating or cooling of the room.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for an air duct expander that helps ameliorate the above-mentioned difficulties.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Registers are, in general, known. The only known prior art supplemental type of a device includes a deflector that adheres magnetically to a register grill and which helps direct the air in a general direction. While the structural arrangements of the known prior types of devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.